Cancer is a major cause of death; for example, renal cancer is an important contributor to morbidity and mortality with an estimated 51,190 new cases and 12,890 deaths reported in the United States for 2007. Attempts have been made to identify and isolate medicinal products for cancer treatment from plant materials. For example, a large number of Phyllanthus species have been found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world and some have been used in traditional medicines.
Accordingly, there is a desire to identify or produce new treatments for cancer, particularly renal cancer.